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Like Hackney as a whole, Homerton has seen a whirlwind of change over recent years, thanks in no small part to the massive boost it received as a result of the 2012 Olympics. Broadly speaking, the area is made up of Chatsworth Road, Well Street, Morning Lane and their nearby off shoots, and has gone from being a once down-at-heel destination to a cool and affordable place to live.
A thriving café culture has sprung up alongside plenty of trendy bars and restaurants as well as hip, independent stores and boutiques and a thriving local arts and music scene.
Property-wise, Homerton offers a mix of low-rise apartment blocks and high-rise towers surrounded by streets of traditional Victorian terraces. You’ll also find council and ex-council properties here, mostly concentrated around the High Street, as well as warehouse conversions and newly built developments. The fact that property is considerably more affordable in Homerton than it’s surrounding neighbours has, in recent years, attracted large numbers of young professionals and small families. A large local employer is the Homerton Hospital, with many of its staff choosing to live in the area.
Homerton station is on the London Overground East London line, giving access to Stratford in just over ten minutes. You can also access the tube at Highbury & Islington via the Victoria line in a little over 15 minutes.
Schools in Homerton at Primary level are generally rated good by Ofsted and include Berger Primary School and St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School. Nearby secondary schools include The City Academy, Hackney, which has an outstanding Ofsted rating and Cardinal Pole Catholic School, which is rated good.
Chatsworth Road must be one of the most fragrant roads in London, thanks to the aroma of freshly baked bread, the scent of exotic flowers and the delectable smells given off by the many street vendors to be found here. Stop for a coffee at Venitia’s, pick up some wine and cheese at L'Epicerie 56 or browse the latest fashions at Triangle – whatever your heart’s desire it’s all here, and a lot more besides. Wander further down the road onto Brooksby Walk and you’ll find Chats Palace, a vibrant arts centre, offering comedy clubs, quiz nights and live music, plus exhibitions, festivals, classes and workshops for all ages and abilities.
If you’re gripped by a thirst of the alcoholic variety then head to the Adam & Eve on Homerton High Street, a handsomely restored Edwardian pub with a great food and drink selection, plus a pool table and beer garden.
Homerton also happen to be home to the oldest surviving residential building in Hackney, the impressive Sutton House. This Grade II listed Tudor manor house was originally built for one of Henry VIII’s courtiers and is now run by the National Trust. Why not take a look around on one of their informative guided tours. Afterwards you can head to Breakers Yard, which lays adjacent to Sutton House, and is an award winning garden that just ten years ago was an industrial wasteland. Today, it’s the perfect place to sit back and enjoy the beauty of nature, away from all the hustle and bustle of the high street.
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The first records of Homerton date back to 1343 when it was small hamlet based around a farm. In Tudor times it was a desirable suburb as the great estates of the Knights Templar were broken up by Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell and by 1600 it was a sought-after location with more than a few rich Londoners settling around what may have been a prominent manor-house or possibly a royal official’s residence.
There were several prominent properties including Sutton House which was named after Thomas Sutton who was believed to be the richest commoner in England. He was in good company; Lord Rich (who later became the Earl of Warwick), Lord Cromwell (Thomas’ great grandson) and Sir John Peyton were all householders – although apparently, they did not contribute to the upkeep of the church! More recently T-Rex front man Marc Bolan was born here and Pete Doherty has given his address as Homerton.
By 1664 there were 57 chargeable houses (one of which had 22 hearths) and only a few years later Great Homerton and Little Homerton had 115 houses – almost a quarter of the total in Hackney. However, developments and the gradual break-up of the great estates had an inevitable effect on the area. By around 1720 there were 8 taverns, one of which was by reputation a knocking-shoppe, At this time there were over 104 residents paying the poor-rate, only 15 years later there were 155 and 26 years later this had shot up to 213.
At about this time the great houses were gradually broken up and by the 1800s many had become variously boys and girls schools and shortly thereafter an institution for young men opened its doors. However industrialisation was also setting in, a lead-works (for pigments), a silk-factory and various water-mills together with a rope-works were being developed. These stereotypically required an oppressed labour force who largely lived in shanties – one local nickname was “Botany Bay”. Social decline really set in with the expansion of the workhouse and other factories and the industrialisation of Hackney Wick.
In 1870 a series of epidemics swept London. A large 200 bed hospital was founded to try to halt the spread of contagion. 2 wards for typhus, 2 for scarlet-fever and enteritis and 2 for special cases. The wealthier residents simply fled. The site is now the Homerton University Hospital.
In the inter-war years there was an even balance between residential and commercial development. Homerton was different from most of Hackney in that the industrial premises were purpose-built rather than converted residential. Ironically, today it is the industrial and warehouse stock that is being converted back to residential.
The area suffered considerable damage in WWII and much of the area was demolished to make way for public housing. There are now very few relics of the pre-Victorian age.
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